


Uncertainty

by halfsynth



Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: Bittersweet, F/F, F/M, Family, Fluff, Light Angst, Memories, Resentment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-04-28 15:09:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14451906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfsynth/pseuds/halfsynth
Summary: Originally written for season 3 predictions tumblr challenge.Chapter 1: Nistrid.Chapter 2: The Hawkins, pt I.Chapter 3: The Hawkins, pt II.Chapter 4: Max/Flash.Chapter 5: Mia/Ed.





	1. Waiting

**Author's Note:**

> My english may not be that good, so you’ll probably find spelling and grammatical errors.  
> Check my [tumblr](http://half-synth.tumblr.com) for more Humans stuff.

Phone call:

“Hallo?”

“It’s me, Astrid.”

“God, Niska, it’s been two weeks. Where are you?”

“We are still in London.”

“Good, good. You okay?”

“It’s you whom I’m worried about.”

“I’m fine, I got another job. Well, same job, different place.”

“Is someone bothering you?”

“No, everything is okay.”

“You’re not lying to me, are you?”

“Why would I?”

“To not worry me.”

“I’ll tell you if something happens. I promised, remember?”

“I do.”

“Then trust me.”

Niska remained silent. She trusted her girlfriend, that wasn’t the problem, Niska feared Astrid would just not tell her certain things for Niska’s sake.

Sometimes the blonde would look at happy couples walking down the street, in times of chaos and fear, and they would smile and intertwine their hands, and she would ask herself if she ever is going to have that: a normal life.

“Niska?”

“Yes, I’m here.”

“You don’t sound okay.”

“I am.”

“No you don’t, but don’t tell me if you don’t want to. Just know I’m here for you.”

“You could have someone who don’t cause you this trouble. I wouldn’t blame you.”

“I wouldn’t change a single thing since the day I met you.”

“Then I’ll go to you as soon as I can.”

“Or I can go to you.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I want to be with you, whatever happens.”

“It isn’t safe, Astrid, I won’t risk you.”

They talk for a few more minutes and Niska destroys the disposable cell phone. They say goodbye with a “take care of your family” and a “wait for my call”, and they both know they meant “I love you”.


	2. Normality I

“First barbecue in who-knows-how-long and you are all long faces.”

Joe was in a good mood today. Sunday barbecue was a classic family day, one of his favourites. He can’t remember the last time the Hawkins sat at the backyard table, listening to some 70s hits (no that his children were happy with his choice of music) and waiting for lunch to be ready: Toby performing tricks with the ball, Sophie drawing, Mattie texting or doing whatever with her phone, and Laura preparing the salad and some fruit juice. Joe wanted to pretend they were a happy family again, away from synth problems, but he knew it was all a mask; he seriously doubted they’ll ever be the family they used to be.

 

“Nobody asked for a barbecue.”

“Come on, Mattie, we are having a good time. The sun, the birds and stuff, put your phone away, what are you even doing?”

“Joining a cult.” He rolled his eyes.

“Tob?”

“Playing.” The boy was hitting the ball with his knees in order to keep it in the air.

“Come here, I’ll teach you how to grill.”

“Playing!”

“Joe, let him alone.”

“Fine. Soph?” As Sophie didn’t answer, Joe cleaned his hands and walked closer to his youngest daughter. She was painting with her blue pencil, focused on the paper, her body slightly leaning on the table. “Who is she?”

“This is Mia, like the first time she came to the house. And here she’s wearing the sweater mom gave her.”

_Again_ , he thought.

He took his wife by the arm and guided her near the grill, so they could talk alone.

“What now?”

“Mia again? It’s been more than year!”

“What do you want me to do? You heard the psychologist, Sophie is fine, she just misses her.”

“Well I don’t see Toby or Mattie crying over them.”

“Like they would let you see them cry. Let them be, Joe.”

“I can’t! Those synths ruined us! We were happy, we had no problems, and then I bought her and our lives turned upside down. It’s all my fault Sophie needed therapy and Mattie became /more/ rebel-

"Stop it!”

“All I want is a bit of normality, Laura.”

“We won’t have normal lives again. We are part of this you like it or not. Our kids are attached to them; you can’t pretend they’ll forget about Mia and the others just because.”

“Well, they should. The synths are a problem for the entire world, we can’t feel empathy anymore.”

“They’re not all evil.”

“Oh sure, almost getting killed didn’t change your mind?”

“Joe!”

“Laura, I love you and I love our kids and the synths are a menace. The Elsters may be the good guys but they’re not the only conscious now. The further we stay away from them, the better.”

Laura didn’t agree but she didn’t respond either, she just looked at her husband. She understood his fear but couldn’t help being concerned about the synths.

The couple never realised two pair of eyes were staring at them.


	3. Normality II

“She’s asleep.”

Trying not to make noise and wake Sophie up, Mattie and Toby walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where they parents were sharing a cup of wine. 

“What are you doing? You have school tomorrow.” The girl rolled her eyes.

“No, we are going to talk.” 

“About what?” 

“You and your whispering today.”

“Oh, Mattie-

“No, mom, she’s right. I get you don’t want Sophie to hear but we are old enough.”

“Yes. So what’s the problem with Mia now?” They looked at Joe and he swallowed. He didn’t want to argue with them too, no when he just made peace with Laura, but what was he going to say? Nothing would change his mind, even if his family didn’t share his point of view.

“The problem is Mia and the others are gone. They’ll survive by themselves. We don’t have to think about them.”

“Dad-

“You’re not serious.”

“I’m deadly serious. Sophie can’t let Mia got and I’m sick of that. It’s been more than a year, we have to move on because they’re not coming back!”

“You can’t possibly know that! If they come for help we will help them!” Mattie snapped.

“You’re too young to understand. I’m your father and you’ll do as I say: you’ll stay away from synths. The family will stay away from synths, I don’t care if they’re friendly or whatever.”

“That’s funny when you were the one who brought a synth to our lives. You mad at them because of your mistake? Because of what you did to mom-

“Stop! All of you!” Laura interrupted.

“Mom, you’re not on his side.”

“Both sides are right.” She looked at her children. “You’re worried about the Elsters, I am too. But your father is worried about us. Synths are hardly reliable these days and we must be careful. They are not all like Mia.”

Toby remaint silent. He was afraid of stranger synthetics that may have violent reactions just like any human being, but he really cared for the synths he knew, especially the kid-synths. Mattie, on the other hand, witnessed how evil and destructive a synth could be; she faced Hester, for god’s sake, but she won’t join the people who thought synths deserve to be killed.

“I won’t turn my back on them.”

“Neither will I.”

“Laura…”

“What do you want me to say? They can make their own decisions, Joe, you can’t made them think otherwise. And you two, I trust you are smart enough to know the consequences of your acts.”

“See? There’s something called ‘trust’.”

“Mattie, please, we know each other’s point of view already, fighting will lead us nowhere.” Laura was tired. She wanted to sleep and avoid the family discussion but she was the only intermediary between Joe and the teenagers, so she breathed in and kept talking. “We need to stay together, war or not. Synths may be organising themselves in order to claim their rights, to hurt us, to run away, they could be planning anything; but the government must have their own plan too. What I mean is we should stop fighting, there’s a bigger problem out there and all we have is each other.”

“But you will fight for them.” Mattie said. She was sure her mother would help if she is requested to do so. “If they claim their rights as humans, you will fight for them because you believe they deserve them.”

The three looked at the woman, they knew her and they knew her answer. Also Laura knew synths are capable of feeling love, mercy, sadness and regret.

“Yes, I will.”


	4. Memory

“You okay?”

“Yes.” Max had his back to the door. From a fifth floor of a abandoned bulding, he was watching the cars go by. “I’m just thinking of someone.”

“Who?”

“His name was Fred, he was our brother.”

“Did he left?”

“No, we did. We had to, I didn’t want to but he was corrupted by Hobbs. I told you about him, remember?”

“Yes.”

“Hobbs would had found us if Fred would have come. He decided to stay and… We turned him off.”

“Do you think you’ll see him again?”

“I don’t know, but I’d like to. You’d like him too.”

Flash didn’t know what to say, after all, she still was a little bit unfamiliar with feelings and stuff, so she did what a voice she didn’t know where it came from told her to do.

The red haired synth walk slowly towards her friend and hugged him. Max never doubted and returned the embrace.

“Thank you.” He said, breaking the hug but staying close, his hands gently touching Flash’s sides.

“I wasn’t sure what to say.”

“Sometimes, humans don’t need words. That’s why they often show affection through gestures.” Flash smiled and looked away. “This is still new for you, but you’re doing excellent progress.”

“I wouldn’t if it wasn’t for you. I’m not aware of the consequences if you wouldn’t had rescued me, but I… think that without your help I would be wandering around the city.”

“I’m glad I found you, too.”


	5. Regret & Resentment

“Wait, please.”

“What do you want?” She asked not turning around.

Mia saw him when she closed the grocery shop’s door; fortunately it was an almost desolated place. She thought Ed wouldn’t recognise her. She thought she’d never see him again.

Ed tried to catch her for almost five minutes; the moment he saw Mia leaving the store, he knew this was an opportunity he had to take.

“Just- let me talk, alright?”

“I have more important things to do.”

“One minute. Please. I need to tell you something.” He said as he took her arm gently.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.” She whispered and broke the contact.

“I’m sorry, Mia. I’m truly sorry.”

“Can I go now?”

“Just tell me if you’re okay. Can I help you? Are you alone?”

“It’s not your business.”

“Mia-

“What do you want from me?”

“I… I want to make things right.”

“Too late for that.” She snapped and walked away, aware that Ed was following her.

Why did he have to appear again? She knew he lived in this neighbourhood, which was big enough to not meet him accidentally. Anyway Mia won’t talk to him, he didn’t deserve it even if she loved him very deep. She can’t forget and forgive his betrayal, she had more important things to worry about.

Fortunately there was a charging point around the corner. That way Ed may leave and leave her alone… But good luck wasn’t on her side.

Mia connected the cable to her USB port but there was no energy. She tried the next one, but nothing.

She whispered something unintelligible and Ed frowned. He looked at the street lights, those which should turn on after twilight, but all were off.

“It must be a power outage.”

Mia ignored him and walked away, she needed to call Max and tell him she won’t make it, no with only 19% of charge.

Once she finished the call, she kept walking forward. She knew a place to stay the night and save energy until the power returns.

“Mia wait, where are you going?” He didn’t get a response, so Ed followed her. “I can’t ask you to trust me but you know my house is close. Come with me and charge, I have an electricity generator.”

At least he knew Mia would never trust him again.

“Please, it’s not safe. Someone could hurt you.”

That was half-truth. If a malicious stranger comes by, Mia could be kidnapped or worse: not because she couldn’t defend herself, she could run and fight for a brief moment but the second her system is turned off, she may be in a serious danger.

On the other hand, Ed could hurt her again, he could try to keep her prisoner but… Would he?

She had few options and, at least, she could manage Ed alone.

“I’m armed.” She opened her jacket and show Ed a sharp metal rod, courtesy of Niska. “You better not try anything.”

*

True to his word, Ed left Mia alone while she was charging. He took the liberty of putting the groceries in the fridge and spent almost four hours watching tv, waiting for Mia to be ready.

He regretted betraying Mia, the guilt wouldn’t let him sleep at night. He still had feelings, maybe not strong feelings as her, but he cared for the synth. He cared and he wanted to help her and apologise and make it up to her. The question was how. He knew she’ll never forgive him, but he’d try.

When Mia appeared in the living room, Ed was sleeping. She wasn’t going to wake him up, so she took her stuff and left.

Around two am, Ed found a note on the fridge saying ‘thank you’.


End file.
